


I Loved You (dangerously)

by unassuming



Category: Mamamoo
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, F/F, a little dark, a little violent, captain solar, first mate wheein, flustered byulyi, good byulyi bonding with everyone here, nothing overly bloody, pirate byulyi, probably the most plot you've ever seen from one of my fics, siren hyejin, some wheesa friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:00:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27988098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unassuming/pseuds/unassuming
Summary: You took me down, down, down, downAnd kissed my lips quick goodbyeI see it now, now, now, nowIt was a matter of timeOr imagine: 2020 MAMA “intro” Hyejin as a siren & Pirate Byulyi in a “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” setting. Featuring: Pirate Captain Solar, First Mate Jung Wheein, a brief appearance of Sea Witch Minnie of (G)I-dle, mentions of a first mate Jessi, a lost friend, lots of runaways, and a sea curse.(Title from I Love You Dangerously by Charlie Puth)
Relationships: Ahn Hyejin | Hwasa/Moon Byulyi | Moonbyul
Comments: 10
Kudos: 43





	I Loved You (dangerously)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Hello! I… I am floored by the 2020 MAMA performances by Mamamoo and Hwasa. Absolutely stunning. This work needed to be written because of it. I need you to imagine Hyejin at the beginning of her Maria set for most of this fic. Then I need 4Seasons concert Byulyi (you’ll know the one) followed by Pirate Byulyi, but lose the vest and the headband. 
> 
> PLEASE NOTE: this starts off pretty dark. There’s quite a bit of violence and rude language. Alludes to rape but it doesn’t happen. The beginning has it the worst. If you skip to the part with Byulyi’s village you’ll evade the rape talk and probably the darkest scene in here but you may lose some character building. There’s some violence and a death (not a main character just had to happen) and then allusions to more death but none of it is explicitly described. Hence why I didn't use archive warnings but I've rated this as mature.

Hyejin finds out on a Tuesday afternoon.

Her mother informs her that they have found a match for her, gripes under her breath that if Hyejin were prettier she would have been married a long time ago.

(but Hyejin pretends not to hear this)

When she smiles, it’s closed-lipped and polite, bowing respectfully to the man in front of her. He’s tall, with dark hair that matches her own and kind eyes. She doesn’t feel anything when he takes her hand in his and bends to press a warm kiss to her skin.

(she doesn’t feel much beyond the echoing sadness most days)

Her father is overjoyed by his easy charm and Hyejin feels the walls closing in on her. This perfect stranger, who barely looks at her all throughout dinner. He holds her hand but his grasp is too tight and Hyejin’s skin itches where his rough fingers clasp hers. Unseen to the room, her toes wiggle frantically beneath the table, anxious and wavering.

But she presses a kiss to his cheek when he leaves and bids her parents good night shortly after. They praise his authoritative manner and delight in what a great husband they found for Hyejin.

When she lays down to rest, her mind spins.

There’s something begging her to run away. An ugly corner of her mind screams that her parents wouldn’t care, that she’d be easily replaced with one of her sisters. The elder is already married but Hyejin is the oldest overall, and if that doesn’t tell you how ugly she is-

Hyejin counts herself lucky most days. The girls in her village are typically wed at fifteen years old, but the prettier the earlier. The men tend to be twice their age but without a strong community surrounding them, they don’t have many choices. If you want a courageous, brave, young man to protect your family, you marry when prompted.

Her legs twist beneath her sheets and Hyejin can feel the erratic thrum of her heart in her chest. It yearns for freedom, for flight.

So she takes off.

Hyejin toes out of the house barefoot, in nothing but her sleek purple slip dress. Easily mistaken for sleep clothes though Hyejin imagines herself wearing it out and about in another lifetime. One in which she rebels and tells everyone else off, wears what she wants where she wants to.

Not in this lifetime though.

There are men on a moderately sized boat, at least Hyejin thinks it’s average in size. She doesn’t tend to linger on the docks but they allow her passage if she agrees to help with the cooking on board. Their former cook was dropped off here, returning to their own family in direct opposition to Hyejin leaving hers.

When they depart from shore Hyejin feels something in her chest loosen. She breathes deeply, enjoying the salty air and the way the boat rocks smoothly against the waves. Tears flood her eyes as the shoreline finally disappears from view. Hyejin presses her fingers to her eyes, laughing wetly, maniacally to herself.

It feels like she’s finally done something right.

But a sudden storm rocks the ship, throwing Hyejin onto the deck. There are orders being shouted and Hyejin clutches at the rope alongside the ship’s railing. Her hair tangles in front of her eyes and she almost can’t hear anything besides the cruel crashing of the waves, closing in on them.

A man screams as he flies by her, the ship hits a huge wave and tips dangerously sideways. He tumbles over the edge, lost to the storm.

No one spares him a glance, all of them caught up in trying to steady the boat.

“You,”

A snarling man jabs his finger at Hyejin; he’s furiously tying knots, hoping the sails will stay in place by the sheer power of his flimsy rope and his will to survive this storm.

“We’ve had nothing but clear skies and smooth sailing until we brought a woman on board.”

Hyejin feels the panic seize her throat, opening her mouth to apologize frantically when the storm disrupts her. She hits the deck, soaked to the bone from the wave that just crashed into the side of the ship.

She lands at his feet and she can hear him distantly yelling to some other guys. He gestures at her and Hyejin can see some of the men hesitate. However others are louder, their faces caught in fierce anger but their eyes still trained on her body. Hyejin can feel the way the straps have fallen from her shoulders, peeling back to present more skin that it should. It isn’t indecent, but it’s close enough that it is all the same to these men.

Suddenly strong hands are grasping her arms, hauling her upright. The ship rocks again and Hyejin stumbles, her ankle twists against the wet floorboards. She lost the shoes given to her when she first came aboard but she can’t remember when and now the rough wood bites, probably leaving splinters.

“Wait- please!” Hyejin begs, tears breaking free.

It doesn’t matter. There’s a sudden tightness around her wrists, still held behind her back. Hyejin feels something cold pinch tightly against her ankle. Looking down, she can see a weighted ball and chain attached to her ankle.

She screams again but it’s lost to the storm. They drag her, kicking and screaming. Her body is heavy, worn down by the cold that tightens her muscles. The freezing air bites at her overly exposed skin, making her tremble. A man muffles her cries with a hand slapped over her mouth. The distinct stench of his body and the harsh spray of saltwater are the last things Hyejin registers before she’s weightless.

Hyejin hits the water and a different kind of cold washes over her body like a blessing and a curse. It sends her spiraling into shock as she sinks further and further into the darkness below. Hyejin wiggles uselessly, trying to keep afloat but the weight is too much and it drags her down. She scrapes at the metal cuff hopelessly, fear pounding in her veins.

When she glances up one last time, she can see sunlight breaking through, and a few men standing at the railing of the ship, watching her sink. The storm must have abated and Hyejin hurts at the thought that maybe-

Maybe she did deserve this. Maybe she was bad luck.

Slowly, she ceases struggling. Her chest burns and all of her muscles feel lethargic from the intense cold. It’s as though she no longer has control of her body. Not so different from the situation she ran from.

Hyejin thinks about her family, hopes they can move on from her sudden abandonment. They won’t look for her, Hyejin knows. They won’t waste their time. It brings a fresh wave of emotion upon her, filling her body with regret.

As the darkness settles, deep in her bones with her lungs unable to sustain her, Hyejin feels a sudden calm wash over her. She fears death like this, alone and cold and condemned. But deep in the ocean, Hyejin allows the atmosphere to relax her. It’s not so scary— even though the depths of the seas are uncharted and unpredictable— there is an appeal to the endless quiet and possibilities.

But this is not the end. This is the beginning.

There is a painful moment when Hyejin can feel her flesh break apart and sew itself back together. The muscles of her legs come alive and Hyejin feels oddly longer. It’s as though she has just had a drastic growth spurt in the span of a few seconds. The ache in her chest abates and she inhales deeply, her lungs swelling with new life. She kicks now, rocketing through the water and breaking to the surface.

In the new sunlight, floating in the middle of the ocean, Hyejin is born again.

—————————————————

A man walks along the edge of the water, humming a tune under his breath. There are many beautiful girls at the bonfire tonight but he only really has his eyes on one. Earlier he had slipped something into her drink, knowing it’ll take a few hours to work. When she slumps over he’ll take her back to his house and she’ll thank him for saving her night from some of those ugly bastards.

He stumbles over a shell in the sand, disrupting his thoughts. Frowning, he bends down and picks it up. The conch shell is larger and he scoffs to himself. Many have claimed that the voice of the ocean rests in these shells. He’s never believed the tall tales. There’s no logic in them after all.

Still, he can’t resist raising the shell to his ear mockingly-

The sound that comes out is low, raspy and thick. A song that instantly has him enchanted. The voice builds a haunting story, soulful in its delivery and tearful with every note. The man presses his ear closer, caught up in a daze of emotions.

Thunder booms overhead abruptly and the man startles. Without the shell against his ear, he breaks out of his daze, baffled with himself. But it’s almost as if he can still hear-

The voice is far away, distant but evocative all the same and he sways forward, lulled toward the ocean’s call.

The waves wash against the shore. A woman is kneeling in the sand. She’s propped up on the backs of her heels, knees slightly spread but the scrap of her dress keeps her covered teasingly. A strap has fallen down her shoulder and her messy black hair covers her face.

The man swallows. She’d be much nicer to take home. He probably won’t need any convincing; her dress is already part way off and he’d have easy access-

“Hello,” the woman says, her voice raspy as though she hasn’t spoken in a while.

“Hello,” the man responds, stepping closer, “Do you need help?”

The woman, previously shrouded by her hair, tilts her head back now. Her lips are stained red and smudged at the corner. The moonlight doesn’t illuminate her too well but she’s beautiful. Her body curves invitingly over the fabric pulled taut across her chest and thighs. The dress itself is partially soaked from another crash of waves against the shore. Surprisingly, the dress doesn’t darken from the water. Her eyes are still mostly covered by her wild hair but he can glimpse their depths in the moonlight, dark and promising. He takes another step closer.

She leans back with a smile. Her legs part further and his eyes dart down to see what she revealed.

“What kind of help would you be willing to provide?” She asks, her tone is silky and seductive.

The woman trails a hand down her front, bracing herself on the other and rocking forward on her hands and knees. Her tousled black locks fall further in front of her and the ends brush the water. She sweeps outward with her arms in a wide semi-circle, casting the water out as if commanding it.

When he makes no other movements, the woman seems to smile to herself. He catches the slight upturn of her lips before she swings herself into a new sitting position. Resting on her hip now, she moves to her knees, arching her back and rocking forward in the water, breathing in as if the stretch is pleasant for her muscles.

“Anything,” the man whispers.

“Anything?” She repeats, teasing.

The woman slumps forward again, falling to her hands as her legs spread slightly wider. She raises her head slowly, but he still isn’t able to see anything except her wild black hair and the barest hint of her eyes.

She curls in on herself, rising slowly, unsteadily. The man steps forward just as she does. Her lips are inches from his and she smells like a hint of sulfur and the damp soil. Her presses forward but she leans back.

Before he can ask why she starts to sing.

He can’t remember the lyrics, can’t really register anything. Her hands brush through his hair, sweeping over his neck and tracing down his chest. Her voice fills his senses. His eyes glaze over in tears from the sorrow pouring from her music. His ears become clogged with the melody, unable to hear anything besides her voice. His nose is filled with her smell, a mix of the ocean and land. His taste buds sing with promise, craning his neck forward in the hopes of catching a bite of what she offers. His nerves are overwhelmed by her presence, helpless against her pull.

Distantly he feels more cold water touch his knees and when did she begin backing him into the water?

In the back of his mind, he registers the sight of the sandy beach behind her, wild trees swaying with the whipping wind. Her eyes are still mostly covered but her voice washes over him like a siren’s song (how fitting). When suddenly he’s being pushed backward; it’s like a bucket of ice water is dumped on his head. He finds himself submerged in the water, her grip tight on his arms as she follows after him.

He catches sight of the glittering scales of her tail and opens his mouth to scream, inhaling a mouthful of saltwater instead.

Her dark eyes are glowing. It’s the final thing he sees before he drowns.

—————————————————

  
Five years have passed since that incident. Now we observe another curious thing.

In another village— one close to the sea but not the same beach we just departed from— a woman is trying on her brother’s hanbok.

It fits her well since her growth spurt has left her taller than him. The fabric brushes against her warm skin and she shivers in the moonlight, examining herself in the mirror.

The garment feels heavier than she expected. It’s lighter than her traditional clothes yet still the material draws her down. Her long blonde hair falls in alluring waves and the headband peaks out of her side bangs nicely. With her slim figure hidden beneath the folds of the outfit, she feels peaceful.

Abruptly, the air is filled with shouting from outside, startling her out of her own little world. Screams and shrieks echo in the night and she distantly registers the sounds of glass breaking and clothes being torn.

Running outside, she sees her village caught up in flames. There are pirates, chasing women and stabbing men. Children flee to the safety of their houses but most of them are already burning. They’ll die if they go inside.

A pirate catches her eye, with a scruff of a beard and a tattoo adorning his neck. When he smiles at her, he’s missing a few teeth and has replaced others with a fake gold implant. She hesitates; she shouldn’t be going back to her house, far enough on the outskirts of the village it won’t attract attention until her family can flee.

She races instead across the village. The pirate gives chase but he doesn’t know these cobblestones streets like she does. Her bare feet hit the rough stone, dodging the glass she can see. Adrenaline hums in her veins and she’s surprised to feel the smile on her lips, exhilarated in a way she hasn’t ever felt before.

With a smooth turn into the resident blacksmith’s shop, she pulls a sword from the furnace, ducking around a pole. The pirate has slowed his gait, weary with the abrupt turn of events yet confident that she is only a woman.

(she is much more)

When she stabs him in the back, she’s surprised at how the blade enters him. It isn’t smooth and she has to put her whole body into the thrust, lacking the arm strength to drive it home. There’s a faint splattering of blood, a loud squelch when she pushes a little harder. His mouth drops open and she can hear the blood falling from his mouth.

Drip, drip, drip.

“What’s taking you so long-“

A voice, a feminine one at that, enters the premises. It’s a lady pirate, with dark brown hair, a large hat, and a pistol drawn.

She takes in the scene before her with a delighted grin and turns her attention on the woman currently killing part of her crew.

“Moon Byulyi, we’ve been looking for you.”

—————————————————

The audacity of these stupid pirates. Byulyi can’t even call herself a captive at this point.

So maybe Captain Solar knocked her over the head with her pistol and dragged her body on board the Red Moon, quote unquote “the most feared pirate ship of the seas.” Byulyi figured this probably isn’t the case because the boat, for one, is small.

The crew probably numbers at maybe 15 max and the ship runs smoothly with how few people there are on board. Byulyi knows this because after waking up she found Solar standing by her hammock below decks.

“As long as you don’t disturb my crew or fuck anything up, we won’t throw you in the brig.”

Byulyi had watched the captain walk away with a flourish of her coat, something she probably enjoyed for the dramatic flair instead of functionality. As she wandered around, testing the captain’s word, Byulyi found that no one really paid any attention to her. They went about their duties on board, hardly phased by the clueless girl watching them.

It’s slightly insulting that their captain thinks she poses so little of a threat that she hadn’t bothered threatening her.

The smarter part of Byulyi— the one not caught up in the famous stories of pirate adventures— counts herself lucky to be abducted by a female captain and treated with such kindness.

They serve her food (even if she does go last every time, there’s always enough to keep Byulyi healthy) and let her sit in silence while they jest and play games. Solar has a natural talent for losing, Byulyi discovers with amusement. Her crew often bests her at any game they play, including the rare duals.

All in all, it’s pretty nice but-

“So when do I get to go back home?” Byulyi asks one day. She leans against the railing, observing the captain who steers the ship.

Solar turns her attention to Byulyi with a cheeky smile. It’s probably supposed to look more sly but Byulyi thinks the effect is kind of ruined by her chubby cheeks and naturally sunny personality. Kind of weird qualities in a pirate captain but it seems to inspire the fellowship of her crew.

“Go back home?” Solar repeats, “When we’re done with you of course.”

“And when will that be?”

“Whenever you tell us what we need to know.”

“How can I tell you if you never ask?”

Solar seems to consider this. She stares through at Byulyi, eyes on her but not really seeing her. Byulyi shifts awkwardly. After being welcomed aboard, she was given new clothes. The trousers and shirt are definitely meant for men but the sturdy material of her brown boots fit her well. They’re also far more comfortable than any of the pinchy sandals she’s been forced to wear in the past.

Byulyi grins at her. “If you need my help all you have to do is ask, captain.”

To her surprise, Solar flushes under the attention. She covers her heated cheeks with her hand and lets out a loud groan, hitting Byulyi’s shoulder. “You’re so annoying.”

“Then toss me overboard.”

The captain just scrunches her nose in distaste.

“Captain! The British Naval colors are approaching!”

Solar lights up at this information and Byulyi prepares herself to actually see the teamwork of this ship. Solar, while probably a great friend, doesn’t seem like someone who willingly fights battles (even if she is a pirate). If she also ends up losing all of the games she plays with her crew, well then, Byulyi just wants to know how this ship has lasted as long as it has.

But surprisingly, she turns to Byulyi. “Is that offer still on the table?”

“What-“

But before Byulyi can really register anything, Solar shoves her overboard with surprising strength. The water is freezing and Byulyi gasps for breath as she looks up at the ship. It’s already pulling away steadily.

“Don’t worry,” Solar calls from the deck, “I’m sure the brits will pick you up and get you back to your family.”

Her voice is surprisingly kind and Byulyi wonders why she feels so betrayed. She didn’t spend any of her time really getting to know anyone. There’s also a distinct longing to figure out if her family is still alive, and if not, to give them a proper burial. This was what Byulyi asked for, the ability to go home.

So why is she still filled with despair?

The captain was right and the naval crew does cast her a line, hoisting her up and immediately tying her wrists together when they see she has pirate clothes on.

“They really just sacrificed one of their own instead of admitting defeat?” The British captain looks at her with mild disgust but the joy in his eyes makes Byulyi want to step back. “What a shame for you.”

“I’m not a pirate,” Byulyi tells him, shaking from the cold. “I was abducted by them a few days ago when they raided my village.”

“Impossible,” the man tells her, “You’re alive and well. Pirate crews don’t just… take people in-“

He stops abruptly, his brow furrowing in concentration. Around her, Byulyi can see the faces of his crew grow slack. Their picture perfect posture drooping, guns falling from their ready positions.

That’s when she hears it— the singing.

So many voices, beautiful and sweet and full of promise. Byulyi struggles in her bonds as the other men race to the sides of the ship, shoving each other aggressively to crane over the side, hoping to catch sight of the source of the voices.

Faintly, Byulyi hears a gunshot.

Someone shoves a limp body over board and replaces the man’s space with himself. The water is murky and Byulyi dismisses what she just saw in favor of climbing on some nearby netting, hoping she can see what is making that beautiful melody.

The ship rocks despite the still waters but Byulyi is too far away to notice it. Just as she doesn’t notice the fog shrouding the ship, seemingly coming out of nowhere. The temperature rises at least ten degrees; Byulyi’s neck drips with sweat and her wrists are rubbed raw from struggling against the rope.

Still, she notices none of this.

The source of the music breaks through the fog. A woman, resting her upper body on a cluster of rocks. She has wavy dark hair, some of it flung behind her to rest on the rocks and the rest covering herself. Her upper body is twisted oddly, hiding the rest of her behind a larger boulder.

She isn’t looking at them. Instead her mouth is open in song. It takes a moment before Byulyi’s mind clears enough to realize her voice is different from the other voices. It breaks through the sickeningly sweet pitch of the other songs and settles over Byulyi’s body, making her feel pliant and eased.

This new woman’s voice is soulful, mourning. She sings with an immersive passion, caught up in the sorrow she feels. Byulyi can’t tell from here but she thinks the woman must be crying. Her voice catches a few times, too raspy with what can only be heartbreak.

It’s the most beautiful thing Byulyi has ever heard.

She sees some men throw themselves into a row boat, having also spotted the woman. They paddle furiously and Byulyi scrambles down from her netting, ready to throw herself overboard-

Though the air is still thick with the woman’s voice, Byulyi notices the other voices have ceased. That’s when they strike.

Screaming fills the air and briefly Byulyi is hit with a sense of deja vu.

However this time is different. When the air was once filled with glass shattering and guns firing, now Byulyi hears the sharp slap of the water against bodies. At least twenty men are pulled under the water in an instant. Some of them struggle, screaming and kicking but it’s no use. The other woman, the one on the rock, continues singing, seemingly oblivious to the slaughter happening in the water next to her.

Byulyi watches as the men on board try to ready the cannons. The boat rocks however, beginning a slow descent. Now that her mind has cleared slightly, Byulyi registers another sound. The one of wooden planks being torn and thrown into the water, allowing the hole at the bottom of their ship to increase in size. There are tales of creatures doing this, taking sailors and drowning them. Byulyi had thought of these as silly myths that scare children away from the deeper parts of the ocean. She never could have imagined-

Sirens.

They’re so numerous that Byulyi can’t keep track. Women in the water reach with slender fingers and sharp nails, grabbing at anything they can and pulling it to the depths of the ocean.

A brave man fires a gunshot, hitting one square in the chest. The siren lets out a beautiful wail, high pitched but still calming to the ears. Byulyi sees a siren jump out of the water, completely clearing the entire ship and grabbing the man on the way down. He doesn’t resurface.

There’s water on Byulyi’s shoes now but she has nowhere to go. Even as part of her yearns to throw herself overboard, the siren’s song still prominent in her ears, she backs up against the other side of the ship.

The ship rocks again and Byulyi falls overboard, unable to swim with her hands still tied. She kicks her legs, breaking to the surface and watching from a distance. Some of the sirens have gone back to singing, making their allure even more powerful.

Another song washes over Byulyi’s muscles like honey. The vocals are warm and soothing, like the soup Byulyi’s mother used to make for her.

She’s sinking to the bottom of the ocean before she realizes she’s stopped swimming.

Suddenly she feels hands grab her and she’s flying through the water. Byulyi goes limp in the arms that hold her, ready to just give in if this song is the last thing she is going to hear.

When she’s thrown on the pile of rocks, Byulyi hits her head hard.

Distantly she can feel the trickle of blood inch down her forehead. Definitely not enough to make her panic but she’ll probably still want to put pressure on the wound. Her hands are unbound and Byulyi’s black vision clears enough that she can see-

The woman from the rocks, close enough to touch. Surprisingly, Byulyi notes that her upper half is completely naked, her thick mane of hair hides a majority of her body though, only teasing flashes of tan skin available to be seen. She has smeared lipstick, blood red and messy. Her eyes are brown, beautiful and endless.

Byulyi reaches for her.

She hisses, her teeth razor sharp. Byulyi isn’t phased, probably still drunk off the siren song. She traces her fingers down the side of the woman’s face, brushing lightly against her cheek and jaw. Her skin is warm to the touch.

The woman freezes, staring at Byulyi with wonder.

“Hi,” Byulyi says.

She doesn’t respond, still looking at Byulyi.

Flushing lightly, Byulyi retracts her hand. She tears the sleeve of her shirt and balls up the cloth to press against her wound. Averting her eyes, Byulyi glances down-

And sees her tail.

It’s huge. Byulyi had never really thought about a siren’s anatomy, obviously since she didn’t actually think they were real. However, this siren’s tail is at least six feet long and plenty wide. The scales shine and— for all the colors it could’ve been— lit up with a lovely yellow color. Byulyi forgets herself for a moment, drawn to the shine of the scales. They’re bright but not overwhelming, close to the color of honey but maybe slightly brighter? Or maybe that’s just due to the sun gleaming off of them.

The woman clears her throat when Byulyi reaches to touch her tail and Byulyi startles. She looks up to find amused eyes and a teasing smile.

“It’s rude to stare,” the woman says, her voice sultry.

“I’ve always thought sirens would have like… blue or purple tails,” Byulyi explains sheepishly, “Yours is… different.”

Surprisingly, the woman laughs, probably entertained by Byulyi making a fool of herself.

“We come in many colors,” is the response she offers.

Byulyi nods, wanting to say more but not quite sure how. The distant screaming and singing has faded now, leaving only the sound of the waves. Byulyi doesn’t want to turn and see the wreckage. Doesn’t know what to do with herself now.

“So um, will you make this quick?”

“Pardon?”

“My death,” Byulyi whispers, looking her in the eye. She’s afraid but she isn’t stupid. “I know how this goes.”

The woman pauses, seemingly torn on something.

Byulyi just waits, resting against the rock patiently. “It’s not a bad place to die,” she says, mostly to fill the silence.

It’s interesting; Byulyi doesn’t feel afraid of dying. She thought she would, but between the pirates and the British Navy, Byulyi feels like this is the next logical progression. Death by siren.

Honestly, she’s probably in shock.

“What makes a human tasty?” Byulyi asks her genuinely, “Does having more fat really matter? I’m quite boney but you don’t look like you’d be picky about your meals-“

The siren frowns deeply. Then, in a childish voice she asks, “Are you calling me fat?” It’s kind of cute, if not for Byulyi’s utter mortification.

Byulyi opens her mouth to say something (anything really) but no words come out. There's a garbled noise that bursts forth and Byulyi hurries to say, “Of course not! You’re very beautiful and healthy and I wouldn’t shame you for your food choices at all. I was just wondering how I’d rank compared to others. Like do I taste average or am I better than average and would it matter if I haven’t showered in four days or does the smell really not affect your taste the way-“

Byulyi is saved from her rambling by the woman’s finger being pressed to her mouth. Her brown eyes are softer now, amused and entertained and Byulyi thinks she’s basically just given this siren dinner and a show.

“You talk a lot,” the woman observes, “You aren’t afraid.”

“Honestly, my village was raided by pirates. I got captured but they were actually pretty nice. Then their captain threw me overboard so the navy would take me back home. And then your people attacked us. I’ve had a long few days.”

The woman chuckles lightly. Her lips are pressed thin but it looks as if she is trying to suppress her smile.

It makes Byulyi smile too.

“Kind of absurd but I’m okay with this turn of events,” Byulyi says easily, leaning against the rock.

Weird but true. The sun has effectively dried her clothes and Byulyi enjoys the warmth on her skin. It’s peaceful here, a nice place to die. It’d be nicer if it was a quick death and Byulyi wonders if she could bargain for that. Being suffocated first and then eaten. Being eaten alive sounds like a poor way to die.

Just as Byulyi is about to ask this the woman says, “I’m not going to kill you.”

It’s a decisive statement and Byulyi is surprised by how sincere she seems.

“You’re not?”

“Nope,” the woman nods to herself, as if convinced of this now, “I like you.”

“Well… I don’t like you! You just killed a whole ship of naval officers.”

She frowns again, her lips pulling down in an almost exaggerated fashion, as if she is straining herself for the expression. “I didn’t kill anyone this time.”

“So you admit you’ve killed other people?”

“Well yes, but not during this raid. I’m not hungry right now.”

Byulyi considers her honesty, “Would you have eaten me if you were hungry?”

The woman shrugs, “Probably.”

“Going back to my earlier question-“

The siren groans, flopping her tail that is still partially immersed in the water. The spray catches Byulyi in the face.

“Listen, I appreciate you sparing my life. But I really will just starve or dehydrate out here if you leave me.” Byulyi tells her seriously, “I think I’d rather you just kill me here.”

She rolls her eyes, seemingly done in indulging Byulyi. The woman swings her arms, launching herself off the rock and gracefully into the water with a splash.

Byulyi stands, outraged.

“Where are you going?”

The only response she gets is the sassy flip of her golden tail before Byulyi loses sight of her beneath the waves. She sits back down, stranded and off-put.

Of all the sirens to get rescued by-

Technically Byulyi is surprised she was rescued at all. In all the stories, sirens are merciless and cunning. They seduce you then pick the meat off your bones. They kiss you then they drown you.

To be given mercy is unheard of.

A shadow passes over Byulyi and she looks up to see Solar leaning on the railing leisurely.

“Need a lift?”

—————————————————

Despite being welcomed aboard once more, Byulyi was offered no information.

It was a little annoying. All this rescue and threat. Byulyi was so tired of not knowing what direction her life was going. At this point she was pretty much guaranteed to spend the rest of her days at sea, no matter how short that time frame was.

At dinner time, Solar sat down next to Byulyi, who neglected her typical spot closer to the crew and now sat on the upper deck, glaring up at the stars like they personally offended her.

“If you aren’t going to tell me why I’m here or help me get home, then I’m really not in the mood to talk,” Byulyi snapped.

Solar was patient with her though. She sat anyway and they ate in silence. It was almost nice, if Byulyi could ignore the emotion pressing down on her.

“What do I do?” Byulyi asked her helplessly, “Can I even return to my family? Will they even be there when I go? Why did you bring me here in the first place?”

“You do what you like,” Solar responds, “If you wish to go back, we can return you.”

“That doesn’t answer my last question.”

She snickers but it lacks any amusement. Solar resettles herself against the boards, staring up at the night sky.

“In all honesty, I wasn’t sure I was ready to share this with you,” Solar tells her.

Byulyi looks at the captain but her gaze remains elsewhere, “Why? You’re not going to drag this out dramatically are you?”

“Did you know I was almost married?”

Like most villages, Byulyi’s home had many girls marry at a young age. Given the captain’s apparence, she would’ve guessed the other woman would’ve been married or ran away from a marriage to end up a pirate.

“His name was Eric. I didn’t really feel much for him but he was a good man and I was getting too old to be married anyway-“

“How old are you?” Byulyi blurts.

Solar turns to her now, actually smiling even though Byulyi has clearly forgotten all her manners and tact.

“Thirty,”

Byulyi chokes.

The captain, mercifully, pretends not to hear it and moves forward with her story, gazing once more at the night sky.

“He was a British Naval Officer. Originally from Korea as well but he moved to England after graduating school. I was on my way to meet him when our ship was attacked.”

Byulyi absorbs this information. On one hand, it seems nice that Solar found a husband. On the other, it sounds like defeat, or resignation.

“A troop of pirates stormed our ship, knocked out everyone and looted the food and gold. However when the first mate saw me, she hesitated. Before I became acquainted with these pirates, I thought she was just a lowly crew member, probably the only female. But when I looked around, I realized the whole crew was made up of women.”

Byulyi smiles at the thought. Though the world has a long way to go, she likes the fact that there are women who are sticking up for each other. Many are taught to only seek a husband, especially with the threat of piracy. Women are thought to be defenseless, but Byulyi thinks the strongest person she knows is her mother.

A pang of emotion hits her chest and she wonders how her parents are doing.

There’s a wave of shame and guilt at leaving them behind. These pirates aren’t keeping her here. She could leave anytime and return home, as long as her home is still standing. She would help her father grill meat and her mom fold clothes and play with her brothers and sisters.

(oh how she longs for the security that only her family can provide)

But there is also a part of her that fears what would happen is her village was burned completely. If her family was no more.

It might just break her.

“Naturally, these pirates knocked me out and took me aboard the ship. I thought at first I was a prisoner, but they gave me reign of the ship. Answered all of my obnoxious questions and taught me how to chart the stars.”

“So that’s why you’re so bad at taking hostages,” Byulyi teases.

Solar smiles, nudging her shoulder none too gently. “When we were on route to take me to England, I fell in love with the sea. It was the first selfish thing I had done in my life, to run away from my responsibilities and stay on this ship. But after just a week of sailing, I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else.”

Byulyi nods but Solar is looking away again, caught up in her memories.

“I sailed with them for four years before two thirds of our crew were killed during a dishonorable battle with another pirate fleet. The first mate at that time, Jessi, told me with her dying breath to find Moon Byulyi.”

“Jessi?” Byulyi asks, “I don’t know her.”

Solar seems to deflate at this news. “I feared as much. I almost thought you were a former pirate, given how old you must be.”

“Only a year younger than you,” Byulyi pouts, slightly off-put at the jab at her age.

The captain laughs, before the atmosphere turns sombre once more. “I’ve been looking for you for six years,”

Byulyi winces slightly, recalling the night of her kidnapping with newfound anger. “So what? Did you just raid every unsuspecting village looking for me and killing those who weren’t useful?”

Solar frowns, becoming angry herself, “Of course not. We don’t actually do a lot of killing on this ship. We aren’t barbarians.”

“No,” Byulyi scoffs, “Just pirates,”

The captain pushes to her feet in a huff, “When you’re done acting like a spoiled brat, come find me. Maybe you don’t know Jessi but I haven’t devoted six years of my life for you to be so childish and ungrateful.”

“I didn’t ask for this!” Byulyi shouts at the captain’s retreating figure.

Her boots are loud against the deck and she goes to the helm to steer, far away from Byulyi on the other side of the ship. Byulyi stands as well, slamming her hands and clenching her teeth in frustration.

“Are you okay?”

The voice startles her and Byulyi looks around to see if it could’ve been anyone nearby. It isn’t— of course— the deck is all but abandoned save the two figures on opposite sides of the ship. And Byulyi would recognize that voice anywhere.

“What do you want?” Byulyi snaps, then immediately winces at how harsh her words were.

The woman in the water doesn’t seem phased. Byulyi can’t see her that well this time though so maybe she’s getting ready to launch an attack on this ship-

“Just wanted to make sure you made it onto a ship okay.”

“Are you going to sink this one too?” Byulyi demands, “Kill this crew just as readily as you killed them-“

“I’m alone tonight,” the woman says calmly, as if this reassures Byulyi at all.

“Does that make a difference?”

The woman tilts her head. Byulyi can’t make out any expression she has right now. The night is too dark and she’s already so far away.

“No,” she answers honestly, “But the fact that a majority of these sailors are women does.”

“Oh?”

Even if Byulyi can’t see her, her condescending tone tells Byulyi that she is probably rolling her eyes.

“Typically female seduction only works on men.”

“Oh,” Byulyi says, her cheeks flushing for whatever reason.

“You should know this,” the woman states plainly, “You have encountered my kind before. Unless,”

Byulyi swallows and her tone now is unfairly seductive. Nearly a pur when it drops a couple octaves as she says,

“You must have enjoyed our song.”

There really isn’t anywhere for Byulyi to hide so she stays silent instead. The woman must be back for some reason and she’d be a fool to reveal so many weaknesses before learning the siren’s intentions.

(not that this weakness isn’t enough to devastate her life all on its own)

“If I wanted you dead I would have killed you earlier,” the woman says once it becomes clear Byulyi isn’t going to talk.

This statement is particularly helpful or enlightening either. Byulyi just raises an eyebrow in the dark, wondering if the siren has better vision than her and can see it.

(kind of hopes that isn’t the case because that would mean the siren could also see her warm cheeks)

“I just- I appreciated you talking to me,” the woman finally says, “And I- I wanted to thank you.”

Byulyi frowns, “You killed those men in cold blood-“

“I didn’t kill any of them-“

“You’re still a murderer,” Byulyi spits harshly. “You lure men in and then you drown them. It doesn’t matter that you saved me, it doesn’t matter that I didn’t see you kill today, you told me you’ve done it before! Why should I even listen to you? What good is this for me? To engage with some siren who suddenly feels something just because I ran my mouth like an idiot so she saved my life?”

There’s a low hum from the water as the siren considers Byulyi’s outburst. She’s breathing hard, still caught in her righteous fury.

“How interesting. A woman who puts her life at equal with a man. A naval captain at that. Tell me, do you really believe those men wouldn’t have tossed you overboard if we hadn’t come in?”

“Are you calling yourself a hero?” Byulyi laughs, sharp and cold.

“I know men like them,” the woman says darkly, “I know that they saw you as someone different from their own. It made you a threat, and men like that get rid of threats in the only way they know how.”

Her voice is still low in tone but there are notes of certainty and hatred that make her words almost come alive with the picture they paint.

“Do you think those men feel guilty? For the lives they’ve taken? The British navy does not have clean hands. They’ve murdered countless pirates. They’ve separated families, widowed women and orphaned children-“

“That doesn’t excuse your actions-“

“I’m not looking for an excuse,” the woman tells her roughly, “I know what I am.”

“Then you should know I want nothing to do with you,” Byulyi declares.

There’s a beat, a protracted moment where Byulyi catches herself wanting to take it back. Which is ridiculous of course. The siren did make fair points but she’s still worse than those she drowned. Of course the navy has to do whatever it takes to protect their own. Sirens kill just because they can.

Just because-

Because they need to eat.

But then they could still eat fish or something else probably. And it’s still murder. It isn’t like the navy can go around killing whoever they want. They’re not pirates.

Except even these thoughts feel wrong. Byulyi has been in the care of both the navy and these pirates and while it doesn’t speak for all, she will concede that these pirates have this far treated her well. Except attacking her village and taking her hostage in the first place.

Byulyi flashes back to her conversation with Solar. ‘We don’t often kill.’

Thinks about the way the naval officers didn’t even hear her out before binding her hands and leaving her helpless during an attack.

Doesn’t speak for all-

Byulyi opens her mouth to speak to the siren again but there are only empty waves beneath the ship.

She is alone again.

—————————————————

It’s a tense couple of days on the ship. Solar avoids and ignores her mostly. The crew is able to keep up distant chatter with her but they’ve clearly picked up on the tension between the captain and Byulyi. No one wants to choose a side that isn’t their captains.

They dock on an island to replenish their stock. Everyone departs the ship quickly, eager to be on solid land for a while.

Byulyi leaves last and she’s surprised to find someone waiting for her when she leaves.

It’s the first mate of the ship. She has dark blue hair and bright brown eyes and when she smiles a deep dimple appears.

“Did you really think the captain would leave you alone on land for the first trip?” Her voice is deeper than Byulyi expected and she realizes she can’t recall ever hearing her talk.

“Why? Does the captain not trust me?”

The first mate rolls her eyes and produces a small pouch. “Do you have any money? I know it’s been a week, being kidnapped and tortured by pirates and the navy but I’m sure you remember that things cost money?”

Byulyi flushes. She may have forgotten that important piece of information.

So she follows the first mate around. Her name is Jung Wheein, and she is in charge of checking up on everyone basically. If anyone falls flat or is unable to find something particular on the list Solar gave them, Wheein will find it herself. She has a great talent with people, Byulyi realizes. Though she can seem cold and aloof, she is warm with others, respectful but friendly.

Wheein buys them lunch and they sit down in the grass, close enough to see the ocean and angled so that Wheein can keep an eye on their ship.

“So what’d you do to anger our captain?”

Byulyi winces, “Noticed that?”

“It’s hard not to. The captain isn’t quiet about her anger.”

“I need to apologize,” Byulyi tells her sincerely, “Though the stories say different, you guys have been quite nice to me. I just, I still don’t really understand.”

Wheein nods thoughtfully, “I think we’re different because we’ve always been a crew with… a goal. Solar has never cared about pirating just for plundering and murder. She’s usually against it honestly, from what I’ve seen and heard.”

“How long have you been with the captain?”

“Five years,” Wheein says, her voice fond and nostalgic. “You know I ran away from home to join these pirates?”

Byulyi smirks, “Seems to be a common theme with you pirate types.”

Wheein rolls her eyes but grins all the same, “That’s fair.”

When she doesn’t offer anymore information Byulyi squirms in her seat. Though silence is fine, she’s had more than her fair share of it lately.

“You know, before I was abducted by you lot, I thought I’d live out the rest of my days as a maid,” Byulyi says conversationally.

Wheein hums in acknowledgment.

“I came from a family with an older brother and two younger siblings,” Byulyi says, her throat catching as she remembers the people she abandoned. “I loved them fiercely but they didn’t need me. I was too shy to be a good match for anyone and too calm to be entertaining. My family didn’t need the money anyway.”

“You would have been happy like that?” Wheein asks, disbelief coloring her voice, “Just existing for all your days?”

Byulyi shrugs, “ I think so yes,” she says calmly, “Before I knew life could be more- I think I would have been okay.”

Wheein catches on quickly, “But now?”

“But now,” Byulyi repeats, “But now I am not sure.”

“You’re a content person,” Wheein notes with what sounds like surprise, “You don’t… yearn for more?”

And surprisingly, Byulyi finds she does not.

“What I want from life… is a family,” Byulyi answers, “Whatever form that comes in. I want people to call my own and my life to be filled with their company and love.”

Wheein blinks, “That’s actually… quite sweet.”

Byulyi blushes, but her openness seems to have won her points with the first mate.

“I had a best friend,” Wheein tells her after a few beats of silence, “She was bigger than most of the kids in the village. One day she came up to me while I was sitting all alone and told me we’d be the best of friends. She was absolutely ridiculous but completely right.” Wheein’s voice becomes breathy, a note of exasperated fondness filling the air.

“I’ve always been a believer in myths and stories. I thought one day I could capture them in my paintings. And my best friend would always sit with me while I painted, loudly supporting me and keeping me company. She’s my soulmate,” Wheein says with an absolute firmness. She turns to stare at Byulyi as if to drive home her words. The first mate’s brown eyes are fierce and protective.

“You must love her a lot,” Byulyi says, slightly in awe. “It is so rare to find someone that loyal.”

Instead of a ready agreement, Wheein frowns, “She left me.”

That doesn’t seem right. “Are you certain-“

“She met the man she was supposed to marry and that night she was gone with the wind. Her family was appropriately devastated but they moved on so quickly, claiming she probably died from dehydration after running away.” Wheein’s voice becomes sharper with each other, distinctly loathing.

“I felt like I lost a piece of me that day,” Wheein whispers.

Byulyi swallows, unsure what to do. “What was her name?”

“Hyejin,” Wheein says softly, “I joined this crew five years ago to prove them wrong. She’s alive out there. I know it. Though a piece of me is missing, it is not gone forever.”

Her words have a note of finality and Byulyi finds herself agreeing. Despite never having a connection like that, Byulyi roots for this woman beside her, who only wants to find someone she loves.

“That’s why Solar was so mad,” Wheein says suddenly, breaking the long silence, “This crew is known for finding lost things. They rarely kill; it is why they are known for being fast. We come and go swiftly, taking what we need and doing as little damage as possible.”

Byulyi sucks in a sharp breath, her eyes heavy when she says, “But then why-“

“Was your village up in smoke?” Wheein finishes. She shrugs, “It was like that when we got there. Make no mistake, we are not saviors. We survive by putting ourselves first. One of our lads needed something from the village, a notebook belonging to his father.”

“You stopped at our village just for that?”

“He assured us it was just in the blacksmith’s shop, supposedly an easy in easy out. However when he didn’t come back in a timely manner Solar went in after him. He came back not long after Solar went to find him, with a long cut from the other pirates on his wrist. Solar came back with you.”

“Oh,” Byulyi says, frowning as she remembers how harsh she was on the captain.

Wheein nods, more to herself than to Byulyi. “I must go check on the others. Would you mind staying here and watching the ship?”

She takes off before Byulyi can respond, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She knows she’ll need to respond to the captain but her mind is still reeling with this information. Despite understanding a little more about the first mate, she still has no clue as to why she is needed here.

A lone figure on the beach suddenly draws Byulyi’s attention. With long dark hair and two very human legs, Byulyi would almost think it wasn’t the same woman she encountered earlier yet the voice is unmistakable.

When she gets close enough, Byulyi shouts, “Hoping to draw forth a victim?”

The woman turns abruptly, as if not realizing she had company.

“Would you believe me if I said I loved to sing?”

Despite the distance and the low cadence of her voice, Byulyi can hear her perfectly.

Byulyi snorts, “Yes,”

The woman, who’s face she can finally see more of in the fading afternoon light, looks surprised. “I used to sing to all the children of my village,” the woman says wistfully.

This surprises Byulyi for two things. Firstly, Byulyi thought she would’ve picked up on her sarcasm. This woman seems to have little to no social skills which wouldn’t surprise Byulyi if not for the second thing. Apparently sirens aren’t born? They’re created?

The woman continues, still oblivious to Byulyi’s internal struggle, “Children thought I was scary,” she says with a sorrowful chuckle, “Mostly because of my eyes. They said they were so dark they could see the reflection of a monster in them.”

Byulyi looks up at her now, catches those dark eyes with her own.

Unthinkingly, she blurts, “Not everyone is ready to see themselves as they will become.”

The woman barks out a laugh, raspy and choked, “Wise words from someone who tends to babble.”

She chuckles in agreement. Typically Byulyi saves her emotions for her actions. Words have never been something she could use to express herself very well.

“I think I owe you an apology,” Byulyi admits.

“Oh? If that was it-“

Byulyi groans loudly, “You know it’d be easier to apologize if you weren’t so- so-“

Smugness rolls off the woman in waves and Byulyi clenches in her fist. “I shouldn’t have generalized you like that,” Byulyi says finally.

The woman bows her head, “I understand I did not make it easy for you as well. And you were right, with some things.”

“I seem to only ever be half right,” Byulyi says with a huff, “But I’ve learned now that there’s usually more to the story.”

It’s a good opening, Byulyi thinks, but the woman remains silent.

“Do you have a name?” Byulyi asks, trying for a different approach.

“Maria,” she answers immediately.

She had been steadily pacing back and forth along the beach but now she comes to sit a distance from Byulyi. In the light of the sunset, Byulyi can see her tan skin and the supple curve of her body, hidden by a light purple dress.

“Maria,” Byulyi repeats.

“I saved you… because I saw you,” Maria says.

“That’s awfully vague,” Byulyi tells her though her voice is more teasing than annoyed.

She grins slightly, “I’m not good with words,” is the excuse she offers.

Byulyi accepts this with a nod and leans back. Maria settles in the sand, her expression dazed as though her mind isn’t quite here.

“So can you just change at will?” Byulyi asks, nodding at her legs.

The siren wiggles her bare toes, covered in sand. “It happens when we leave the saltwater.”

“Neat,”

Maria laughs, full bodied and amused, “Indeed.”

“Tell me something else about yourself,” Byulyi requests, drawing absentmindedly in the sand.

“What are you so curious to know?” Maria asks. There’s an edge to her voice, as if Byulyi should tread lightly.

She takes a moment to think. The air has gotten colder now but Byulyi enjoys the slight chill it brings to her bones. Beneath her, the sand is soft and it runs through her fingers easily. Byulyi picks up a handful of sand, watching the grains run through her fingers and fall down to join the rest of the sand. She repeats this action a few times, delighting in the soft yet grainy texture.

Maria watches her with amusement in her eyes. Her lips twitch, as though she wants to smile but she remains stoic. If not for the emotion in her eyes, Byulyi would think Maria was bored or almost angry.

“What is your favorite fruit?” Byulyi finally asks.

The siren bursts out laughing, clearly shocked by this question. She laughs with her full body, shoulders shaking and fingers flexing as she attempts to contain the loud sounds bursting from her lips.

It’s almost cute. She looks younger like this, softened by laughter.

“Melon,” Maria answers at last, “I really like melons. But you know what else is good? Strawberries. Or grapefruit. Sometimes I find myself craving apples but I don’t eat them very often-“

Her voice has lost its typically sultry tone as Maria lights up with the thought of these fruits. Byulyi can’t help but smile at her as she comes alive with vague hand gestures. Her feet wiggle excitedly and Byulyi finds herself more entranced by the brightness of her eyes than the sound of her voice.

“Wow, I didn’t realize you had such strong opinions on fruit,” Byulyi says, charmed.

“I… I really like food,” Maria admits sheepishly, “It has been so long since I’ve had well cooked crab.”

And fuck if that isn’t the cutest whine in her voice.

“Byulyi?”

Solar’s voice sounds behind her and Byulyi whips around, suddenly anxious. Maria may have spared this crew but she still doesn’t know why-

“There you are,” Solar says, approaching with a loaf of bread in her hands. She offers Byulyi a chunk and Byulyi chews thoughtfully.

“I um, I wanted to apologize,” Byulyi says firmly, “I was wrong about what I said. I want you to know that I’m sorry about it.”

The captain waves her off, “I got a bit heated too, but thank you for the apology.”

Byulyi smiles at Solar, who flashes her one in return.

“You ready to go?”

“Yup,” Byulyi says, hopping up to follow the captain.

As she’s leaving, she turns to look for any sign of Maria. But the siren is gone now.

—————————————————

A month comes and goes.

Byulyi spends most of her days helping clean the ship. Solar and Wheein both tried to help her with the rigging but they found out Byulyi was surprisingly clumsy. After tripping over the rope one too many times Solar pointed her towards the bucket and mop.

It doesn’t bother Byulyi though. She hums to herself as she cleans up the deck. As she’s learned over the past month (though she lacks the magical qualities) Maria always seems to be able to hear her when she sings.

At first it was weird. She popped up in the water while Byulyi had been humming a tune. She matched pitch, and sang alongside her, filling the air with her sultry voice. The lyrics weren’t anything Byulyi recognized but she enjoyed the music all the same, if not just for entertainment and company.

The next time Maria appeared, she smacked her tail against the water loudly, spraying Byulyi. At first she had just stood there in disbelief. Maria’s tail is by no means small and the tiny wave it created left Byulyi fairly drenched on her upper half at least.

Maria had snickered from the water and given Byulyi what was probably supposed to be an innocent face. However the childish pleasure in her eyes pretty much killed that image.

Most of the times Maria has visited, she doesn’t talk much. She’ll sing every so often, but usually she tends to float alongside the ship, eyes closed and peaceful.

Byulyi should probably be a little more concerned that a siren has taken such an interest in her but-

She finds herself enjoying Maria’s presence.

One time Byulyi had thrown a shiny ring overboard to the siren. It was left by one of their crewmates who departed on their last stop. Apparently it was a gift from an old lover that had cheated on her while she was away at sea.

Maria had startled in the water when it hit her, right on the stomach. Though small, the drop was pretty far so Byulyi was kind of apologetic for it. However the siren had looked elated at the ring once realizing what it was.

Thus began Maria’s obsession with shiny things.

The following evening Maria had thrown a solid watch at her head, hitting her quite hard as Byulyi had been organizing some of their food. The watch was silver, with a real leather cuff. Though the face was slightly cracked it was beautiful.

Byulyi wears that watch all the time now. Wheein told her she’d have a tan line from it but Byulyi couldn’t care less.

Whenever they were on shore or raiding any other pirate ships, Byulyi made sure to grab something for Maria. Money didn’t seem to help her any but sometimes Byulyi found foreign coins on ships. She’d keep a few and polish them that night before tossing them down to the siren the next morning.

Maria didn’t always visit her during the day but if she missed a few days, the siren would show up at night. Byulyi had to confess that she enjoyed night time visits more, as Maria would talk to her then.

“What’s your favorite color?” Maria had asked one night.

“I’m quite fond of the yellow of your tail.”

“Flatterer,” Maria had quipped.

Though it wasn’t a complementary response, Byulyi could tell she was pleased.

“So Maria?” Byulyi had asked another night, “Interesting name,”

The siren hummed from below in the endless waters, “So is yours. Star right?”

Byulyi nods though she can’t see it, “My parents always called me their moonstar.”

“Cute,” Maria’s voice is teasing but there’s a note of sincerely she can’t hide. Or just doesn’t try to.

“I miss them,” Byulyi whispers.

“Your family?”

Byulyi hums in affirmative.

“Why don’t you go back to them?”

It sounds so simple when Maria says it like that. An easy option to ease her conscience.

And yet.

“I’m afraid they’d ask me to stay,”

“Are you afraid they’d ask or afraid you’d refuse?”

And really Byulyi’s silence is answer enough.

—————————————————

One lazy morning Byulyi lays on the deck with Wheein. Ever since Wheein first opened up, it’s like everything comes pouring out.

“Did you know Hyejin could sing?”

Byulyi makes a noise of surprise.

“Her voice was actually pretty high but she was always purposefully lowering. At first I thought she did this to attract the attention of guys but she said she felt more confident with a lower voice,” Wheein pauses, “You know your voice is also higher than I thought it’d be.”

“Oh?” Byulyi questions.

“It’s not a bad thing. Just interesting.”

Silence settles between them again. Byulyi basks in the sunlight, content to lay here all day even though she knows she’ll have to get up soon and start her day.

“Hey,” Byulyi says suddenly, a sudden memory popping into her head, “Have you guys ever had any problems with sirens?”

“Sirens?” Wheein asks, frowning, “We’ve witnessed some truly idiotic men try to trap one.”

“But they’ve never…” Byulyi trails off, unsure how to say what she wants to say.

“Lured us to our death?” Wheein smirks, “Funny you should mention it but there’s an old myth, lost to time, that sirens are actually women wronged by men. They’re said to be seeming vengeance on the sailors who tossed them unrightfully over a ship. That’s why they only ever lure men to their deaths.”

“So in theory,” Byulyi chews her lip, “Women could also be seduced by a siren?”

“Well yes,” Wheein says with a laugh, “I think other people on this crew have had more experience with sirens but they don’t really seduce a specific gender. Their song is more of a…” Wheein smacks her lips, considering her word choice, “It makes people compliant. You hear their voice and all you want to do is get closer to it. You’d sit there all day listening to their song and that’s when they drag you under. They pull the fight from you before the battle even starts.”

Despite having made… friends? with a siren Byulyi still finds herself entranced by this information.

Wheein turns to her suddenly, “Why are you so interested in this anyway?”

“No reason,” Byulyi mumbles.

And that’s the end of it for another month.

—————————————————

When July hits, the heat truly does them all in. Solar still wears her captain hat but she’s lost the vest and leather pants. Everyone's clothes have switched to thinner and lighter materials as they bear the blistering sun for twelve hours a day.

Byulyi still refuses to take off her watch, even if the metal burns her when it brushes her bare skin.

They dock at an island for a few nights, determined to spend some more time on land. Byulyi stays with Solar, who actually has a home here.

“Yongsun!”

Another woman greets them as they enter the small house. It’s cozy, with thick rugs, open windows, and a low ceiling. Byulyi likes the painted clay jars in the kitchen and the way the sunlight hits the cream colored walls.

“Irene,” Solar (Yongsun?) greets warmly.

“And who is this?” Irene asks, grinning and bowing politely to Byulyi.

“Moon Byulyi,” Yongsun tells her.

Irene gasps, “So you’ve found her!”

“Kind of,” Yongsun says, flopping down on the carpet as Irene moves to the kitchen. Byulyi hovers awkwardly next to Yongsun (Solar?), unsure what to do.

“Please sit,” Irene says, “Yongsun has such terrible manners. I swear the captain in you has all but diminished your etiquette.” Her voice is light and airy, teasing with a friendly knowing.

“So your real name is Yongsun?” Byulyi asks, taking a seat beside the captain’s hip.

“Yes, but don’t tell anyone. I’d hate to have to kill you.”

Byulyi and Irene both laugh at that and the captain pouts. Irene hands them both a glass of water as she sits on the other side of Yongsun.

“You wouldn’t kill her, not when you’ve spent so long looking for her.” Irene dodges Yongsun’s swat aimed at her arm and settles against the wall, “But really, you still don’t know why Jessi needed her?”

“Beats me,” Yongsun says. She looks at Byulyi, “Are you sure you didn’t know Jessi?”

“Positive,” Byulyi says apologetically.

“Have you asked the Witch?” Irene questions.

“Witch?”

Yongsun just groans, “There was a witch Jessi would frequent whenever we came back to this island. Probably a scam,” Yongsun sniffs.

“But maybe she shared more information with the Witch,” Irene insists.

“Then with our crew? Doubtful,”

“Maybe I want to talk to her,” Byulyi interrupts firmly, “I mean I love sailing with you guys, but if you’ve been looking for me for so long, it’d be nice to know why.”

“They’re so lazy,” Irene giggles, “The laziest band of pirates you’ll ever meet. None of them are ever in a rush to do anything. Yongsun would probably take another twenty years to solve this mystery if you let her.”

Yongsun succeeds this time in slapping Irene, hitting her skin hard enough to leave a red mark. Irene yelps, rubbing her arm with an exaggerated frown but her eyes are still bright with hope.

“You should go see the Witch,” she says decisively, “Her name is Minnie.”

And so Byulyi goes.

Yongsun had refused to go with her and Byulyi thought she deserved time to catch up with her long time friend alone. The Witch was said to live in a house outlooking the ocean and Byulyi finds it easily after asking around.

It’s a quaint cottage and though the Witch lives in solitude, it seems as though the village here at least respects her. Byulyi knocks on the door and isn’t too surprised when it swings open.

The inside of the house is decorated with muted pinks and lighter neutral colors. It’s soothing and Byulyi can almost excuse the giant cauldron in the center of the cottage and all the animals in cages hanging from the lofty ceiling.

There’s stacks of books and papers on the floor. Odd trinkets are on the tables and counters so that there is virtually no free space. Byulyi can see that though the cottage is roomy, nothing has collected dust. The Witch must work often.

“Sorry!” A feminine voice calls out.

A girl with brown and silver hair stumbles out of a nearby door. There's soot on her nose and hands. She’s wearing an elegant white dress and Byulyi finds it interesting that the color is the exact opposite of the black you’d expect. She’s also quite tall. Normally witches are scary short people, with pointy hats and lots of black eye makeup.

This one seems almost tame.

“I’m Minnie, resident witch. What can I do for you?” She asks, wiping her hands on her dress. They leave stains and Byulyi pretends not to notice.

“Umm hi, I’m Moon Byulyi and the first mate of The Red Moon, Jessi, was on a quest to find me? But apparently she didn’t tell anyone and now I’m not really sure what I need to do? If anything?”

Minnie nods frantically at every word that comes out of Byulyi’s mouth. “Yes yes, Jessi. I remember her. She had a knack for remembering absolutely nothing.” Minnie rolls her eyes but she doesn’t seem upset. “I told Jessi that a moonstar would be necessary for her to free her lover from the curse. Apparently she thought I meant an actual person could break the spell or whatever.”

“That’s it?” Byulyi asks, bewildered, “You’re saying that I was kidnapped because of a misunderstanding?”

“Happens more often than you think,” Minnie tells her humorously, “I think all the dirt pirates accumulate from their lack of washing clogs their ears.”

Byulyi laughs despite the absurdity of her situation. Only a matter of circumstance led her to the life she’s leading now. She could have stayed with her family all this time and-

And probably lived out the rest of her days as just a side figure in her family. Loved and wanted, but still only a woman in a village, sewing the clothes or helping the laundry or watching her nieces and nephews.

“I don’t think Jessi would have been able to break the spell anyway,” Minnie continues. Her eyes are trained on Byulyi when she says, “A moonstar is a piece of old legend. Nobody knows where it descends from but it’s supposedly a metaphor for a piece of someone’s soul. And while Jessi claimed to lover her siren-“

Watching Byulyi like she is, Minnie sees the minute change in Byulyi’s posture. Her hips square and shoulder tense and Minnie smiles.

“So you know this story?”

Byulyi shakes her head, worrying at the inside of her cheek.

“Jessi fell in love with a siren,” Minnie says, leaning forward like she’s spilling a juicy secret. “At least, that's what she told me. She wanted to know how to break the Siren’s Curse.”

“Of course that’s a thing,” Byulyi mutters, “Pirates and their dramatic tales.”

Minnie chuckles in agreement, “But you see, I did research for her because she paid me handsomely of course. Lost records from Agrabah say that if you give a moonstar to a siren, she will fall in love with you. Pure love, untainted by the bloodlust that consumes sirens. And if you’ve fallen for her as well, in a love that is true and honest, you can free her from that which binds her.”

Byulyi inhales deeply, her heart pounding for reasons she’s not quite sure she wants to acknowledge.

“And how is that?” Byulyi asks, her voice wobbling.

Minnie grins and her eyes sparkle with someone mischievous, “That information will cost you.”

Byulyi rolls her eyes, “I’m not that interested.”

“Ah but you haven’t left yet,” Minnie coos, her voice gleeful, “I didn’t even say what I wanted.”

“And what’s that?” Byulyi asks, taking the bait.

“That watch,” Minnie says, gesturing to her left wrist.

“Fat chance,” Byulyi snipes, marching out the door.

It’s ridiculous, Byulyi doesn’t need to know how to free a siren. The Witch is just a good storyteller. Besides, what would this watch even do for her? It’s broken. A storm rendered it even more useless after soaking the mechanics of it as well. Now it has a cracked face and it’s missing the two bulbs on the side to adjust the time and wind up the watch as well. It doesn’t seem very expensive either and the Witch probably doesn’t even need money.

Byulyi doesn’t realize she’s stormed down to the beach until she hits the edge of the water. Byulyi throws her boots to the side and sinks her feet into the wet sand after rolling up her pants. The water is warm with the sun high in the air and Byulyi breathes deeply. Though she’s grateful for the time on land, there’s something about the ocean. When it stretches as far as the eye can see, Byulyi feels smaller. Less significant to the world. It feels like the freedom of not making a big impact on life, but simply just living it.

“What’s got you in a mood?”

Maria is hovering in the depler end of the water, not too far from Byulyi but still enough that she must be off the reef.

“Just a silly witch,” Byulyi says, already relaxing with Maria’s calming voice.

The siren smiles like Byulyi just told her a joke. “And why have you decided to get caught up in witches? Am I not magical enough for you?” She asks teasingly.

“You’re more than enough for me,” Byulyi assured her honestly, “A complete handful for sure but I kind of like your snark. It’s cute.”

“Ah,” Maria grumbles, “I’m not cute.”

“Sure you are,” Byulyi says laughingly, “Just look at that little pout. You’re so whiny too; it’s adorable.”

Maria splashes her.

Byulyi kicks up more water at her and suddenly they’re both shrieking like five year olds and hitting the water back and forth. A losing battle if Byulyi has ever seen one. Maria doesn’t even wear clothes and therefore only has her pride to lose. Byulyi, on the other hand, is still fully clothed in comfortable dry clothing.

Or she was.

After a particularly good hit catches Byulyi coughing up some saltwater she calls time. Maria looks at her worriedly, wading forward toward Byulyi. During the battle she had been drawn closer to Maria, wading up to her waist as she edges the reef.

Then there’s cool hands cupping her face as Byulyi breathes slowly, trying to regain her bearings. Maria is close now and her hair floats around them. Up close like she is, Byulyi can finally take in the details of her face. Her lips are still stained red and smudged at the edges. There’s a bit of lipstick on her cheek as well, easily mistaken for some poorly applied makeup. She has a cute little nose, flat and low on her face.

However what draws the attention is her eyes. They’re brown, the most common color out there. But Byulyi is caught up in the emotion of them. They appear as deep and endless as the ocean she dwells in. Swimming with sadness and hope and regret all at once.

“Are you okay?” Byulyi asks.

Maria tilts her head, “I’m pretty sure that’s my line.”

“You just… you look so sad,” Byulyi says, brushing a finger along Maria’s cheek.

The siren gasps softly. Her eyes flutter closed and she leans into Byulyi’s hand as she cups her face. Byulyi can feel her lips part; her throat feels dry and Byulyi wonders if it’s possible that a siren’s song can have lasting effects like this.

“It’s been a long time,” Maria whispers, eyes still closed, “since someone cared.”

“I care,” Byulyi says. It sounds too loud and brash for the moment but the genuine tone isn’t lost.

“I know,” Maria smiles, “Thank you.”

“You know, I never thought I’d end up here,” Byulyi says, “I never thought I would leave my family behind but I think I’ve found another one.”

Maria opens her eyes now, shining with warmth and something else, “You have?”

“Sometimes I still hate myself,” Byulyi chokes, looking away from Maria, “I can’t believe I wouldn’t go back. Just to make sure…”

“I ran away from my family,” Maria tells her softly, “They arranged a marriage for me and I… I felt so trapped that I thought anything would be better than a loveless marriage. Now I don’t even know if I could have loved him with time.”

“Was it worth it?” Byulyi asks breathlessly, “Would you… if you could walk on land forever again, would you?”

Maria considers this, “I think I’d want to make amends with my family. But not like this. I wouldn’t be able to go back to them for only a day before the ocean called me back.”

Byulyi strokes the skin of her cheek and she feels Maira quiver.

“I thought I was running toward freedom. But it was just another cage.”

—————————————————

When Byulyi returns to the cottage that night, she lets herself in and slams the watch down on the table. Minnie, who was knitting, stares at the watch a few minutes before slowly dragging her eyes up, settling on Byulyi with a kind of respect.

“To break the curse, you must learn the siren’s name. Their true name. Whisper it into their ear, like a lover would, and say, ‘I release you from the sea. Please come back to me’”

“That’s all?” Byulyi asks cautiously, “No tricks? No catch?”

“It will work if you have the correct name and if you love them and they you.” Minnie assures her, “I would not be so cruel as to lie to you.”

For whatever reason Byulyi trusts her. She really shouldn’t make a habit of trusting the crazy people she stumbles upon but it hasn’t really led her astray so far, even if most of these events were unintentional.

But here’s the thing, even with the information she has now, Byulyi can’t seem to get close enough to Maria.

It’s hard when the siren shows up only during the day for the next month. She’s nowhere to be seen when they dock on land and Byulyi spends so many afternoons at the beach even when they are on land that it becomes a running joke. Yongsun and Wheein tease her endlessly about her affinity for the sea, saying that Byulyi is the most pirate-y of them all.

Another month passes and Byulyi can’t understand how this crew is so at ease with unfinished business. Byulyi itches to see Maria again, to free her from the curse and allow her to walk freely on land again. To reunite her with her family in a way Byulyi never got with her own.

Caught up in her thoughts as she is, Byulyi doesn’t notice the other presence beside her until Wheein is knocking shoulders with her.

“So who is it?”

“What?” Byulyi asks, doing a small double take when she realizes Wheein is talking to her.

“Who’s this person you’re all caught up on?”

“What do you mean?” Byulyi asks, rubbing the back of her neck.

“You’ve been distant for weeks now,” Wheein tells her, “Staring off into the sea like you’re waiting for someone to come back to you.”

“Speaking from experience?”

Wheein winces and Byulyi heaves a deep sigh, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it harshly I just-“

“I know,” Wheein says, a sad resignation to her tone, “I don’t think it’ll ever be easier for me. I should’ve gotten over this by now. Maybe given up this silly endeavor. She certainly has given up one me-“

“Hey,” Byulyi says, pulling Wheein into her arms. The first mate is surprisingly small and Byulyi rests her cheek against the top of Wheein’s head. “I’m sure wherever Hyejin is, she’ll come back to you.”

“Her family doesn’t even care,” Wheein says petulantly, “Hyejin loves them all so much but… they’ve just moved on. They think she's dead-“

“Hey!” Yongsun shouts, “We have company.”

And indeed they do. Off on the horizon Byulyi can see another ship heading toward them. Pirate colors.

The ship bustles with activity, readying the cannons. They were supposed to be making port soon; there’s an island pretty close by with the good rum and Wheein had been so looking forward to that. They probably won’t appreciate the cannon fire so close to their business.

Nevertheless Yongsun heeds the attack. Byulyi has only seen a couple of skirmishes but Yongsun handles them all with an easy grace. She’s calm in the face of any problem, and actually quite a skilled swordsman. Byulyi now realizes that she wasn’t letting her crew win but she also wasn’t great with a sword.

Yongsun uses a spear when she fights. There’s a short sword strapped to her hip but her skills definitely lie with a wide berth. Yongsun has excellent footwork; she’s light and agile, dodging hips and getting her enemies tangled in the space before delivering knock out blows.

Wheein enjoys a close battle. She’s probably the best with a sword, which makes sense because of her position as first mate, but she also loves her knives. She fights with a regular sword but her fingers are always fluttering and usually her opponent ends with a knife in their chest rather than her sword.

Byulyi has gotten better with a sword, particularly a lance. Her footwork isn’t sloppy but it’s also uncommon. She doesn’t keep herself in a low lunge like most fighters. Instead it’s more of a small squat, with both her hips square. She doesn’t tend to give or take ground, instead working her opponent around in a circle. She’ll jump or roll to dodge the blade, but she won’t step closer or further.

These pirates fight dirty though. Byulyi is into her second opponent when she realizes this. There’s a firstful of dust being thrown at her from his pocket and the pirate is cackling in front of her, lunging-

His blade bites into her arm before she can twist away. The wound stings and Byulyi can already feel the steady flow of blood. The pirate lunges again but stops short when Wheein’s knife is embedded between his eyes.

Things get hazy after that.

Byulyi can hear the distant sound of more cannon fire and swords clashing. Her vision gets blurry and she swears there’s someone in front of her, yelling something.

The ship gets rammed into its side by the offending pirates and Byulyi falls headfirst into the ocean.

The water is cold and Byulyi kicks but her vision is black around the edges now. She’s lost too much blood-

There’s a flash of gold and worried brown eyes before Byulyi sinks into the darkness.

—————————————————

“Please,” Maria is weeping beside her.

Byulyi coughs up more seawater and the burning in her lungs seems to lessen slightly. Before she really comes to Maria is bending down, covering her mouth with her own and filling Byulyi lungs with air.

“I don’t even know if I’m doing this right,” Maria wails as she pumps Byulyi’s chest.

Byulyi coughs again and sits up heaving. Maria places her hands on Byulyi’s face, neck, shoulders, and chest. She’s frantic and afraid, her mouth open with painful helplessness.

“Hey,” Byulyi says, her voice hoarse, “It’s okay. You saved me, again by the way.”

Maria hits Byulyi, “You can’t keep almost dying like this!”

Byulyi can see a row boat heading their way in the distance. It looks like the battle is over. The Red Moon sails proudly far off shore. Whatever became of the other pirate’s ship is long gone.

“But you’ll save me,” Byulyi says lightly, “I’ll be okay.”

It’s now that she registers just how true this is. The arm with her stab wound has been completely healed. Though her shirt is still torn and bloody, the skin beneath it is fresh and flawless.

“How-“

“Siren tears,” Maria says with a sniffle, “They’re pretty potent.”

Byulyi grins at her, “You really- For me?”

Maria narrows her eyes playfully, “Yes you. Just-“

She grabs a handful of Byulyi’s shirt and kisses her.

Her lips are smooth. Something else wonderful and stranger about Maria. Byulyi would think with the saltwater she’d have dry lips but they move against her gently, inviting and smooth. She doesn’t taste like the ocean either. Byulyi would expect to be coughing up more saltwater but instead she just tastes uniquely herself and Byulyi breathes through her nose and kisses her harder.

“Hye- Hyejin?”

Wheein stumbles up the beach, tears in her eyes as she looks at the woman in her arms.

Maria freezes, her mouth falling open in shock.

“Wheein?”

And then she’s stumbling to her feet, running toward her best friend and it all clicks into place. Byulyi observes this woman, Wheein’s childhood best friend, the one who saved her that first time from men who probably would have killed her. This woman who ran away from home because she felt trapped.

It makes sense and Byulyi doesn’t know why she kept this from Wheein so long.

Wheein’s tears flow down her face freely and she keeps touching Hyejin, as if processing she’s really alive.

“I’m so sorry,” Hyejin keeps saying, her voice interrupted by small hiccups, “I’m so sorry Wheein I just left you-“

“You’re alive,” Wheein says reverently, “You’re alive.”

Hyejin winces and finally settles back from her best friend. “I- yes and no.”

“What?” Wheein’s brow is wrinkled in confusion, her hands still cupping Hyejin’s cheeks.

Hyejin gently grasps her hands and eases them away before backing into the water. Wheein sways forward, as if afraid Hyejin will disappear again. Byulyi comes to stand in the water with Wheein, holding her.

When Hyejin submerges herself, there’s a faint ripple around her. Byulyi knows when Wheein sees it, the tail. Hyejin lifts her fin and gives it a small wiggle.

“You’re- you’re a siren?” Wheein asks, her voice cracking. She turns to Byulyi, “You knew?”

“I didn’t know she was-“

“I gave her my siren name,” Hyejin says from the water. “When you’re reborn, there’s another name in your mind. You- you forget everything that tethers you to your life on land. It comes and goes in flashes, but it all feels like a dream,” Hyejin murmurs, “I swear I never fully forgot you I just- I lost my way home.”

Wheein sobs against Byulyi’s chest.

“But then I rescued you,” Hyejin turns her attention to Byulyi, “I think that’s when I started finding my way again. You were… the first person in many years to talk to me like I was- still a human.”

She offers a shy smile and Wheein hits Byulyi, “Go to her.”

And Byulyi goes, she sinks into the water and Hyejin catches her in her arms. It’s intimate. When Hyejin changes she loses her clothes but the pounding in Byulyi’s chest is what really makes her nervous.

“I- I can break this curse,” Byulyi tells her, “I mean I’m pretty sure-“

“Byulyi~” Hyejin tucks a stray piece of hair behind Byulyi’s ear and leans closer, her cheek brushing against Byulyi’s own. Her skin is warm and it leaves Byulyi so dazed that she almost misses Hyejin’s next words.

“It’s okay,”

And Byulyi doesn’t know if she’s saying it’s okay that Byulyi can break the curse or if it’s okay if it doesn’t work but her heart is swelling and full of affection and Byulyi just knows.

“Hyejin,” Byulyi whispers against the shell of the siren’s ear. Hyejin gasps and Byulyi’s voice drops another few octaves, “I release you from the sea. Please, come back to me.”

Hyejin jolts forward and suddenly they’re both sinking and Byulyi worries she’s done something wrong before something solid hits her leg. Then she’s kicking blindly and breaking to the surface. Wheein has rushed forward, pulling them both toward the water they can touch.

Byulyi grins when she realizes Hyejin is actually a few inches shorter than her.

That grin quickly fades at the absolute starstruck look on Hyejin’s face. Her mouth is parted slightly and her eyes are hooded with affection. Byulyi pulls her forward and presses another kiss to her mouth.

“You did it,” Hyejin says, “You know a little more warning would have been nice. I completely forgot how to swim without that tail.”

“What- But- How much warning could you have needed?” Byulyi asks in slight outrage.

Hyejin laughs, her voice still raspy and low. She doesn’t answer Byulyi with words so much as actions.

There’s another kiss on her lips, her cheek, her jawline. Byulyi sighs and leans into Hyejin. She has a feeling that a kiss will be the answer to a lot of her questions from now on.

And if you ask Byulyi? She’s perfectly okay with that.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this fic. If you want to, I've opened up a ko-fi account. I'm accepting commissions there if you want me to write something specific or if you want to buy me a coffee. Either way, I'll continue writing and I thank you for your support! Whether that's reading, leaving a kudos, leaving a comment, or leaving a tip.
> 
> https://ko-fi.com/unassumingwriting


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